Chairman says football club will be going back to basics

PORTHLEVEN Football Club is not going to be bought by a consortium nor is it going to have a Jose Mourinho-type foreign manager.

Instead, says recently appointed chairman Darren Shaw, it is going back to basics.

The days of a player staying on after a game for his sausages and chips and a coke before returning to his home in Plymouth were gone, Mr Shaw told Porthleven Town Council on Thursday.

Andy Wallis, who is also Cornwall Councillor for Porthleven, told Mr Shaw and town council colleagues: "It is important to have a local team for local people."

Earlier, Mr Shaw said that the football side of the club and the social side would now be separate; each had a vice-chairman who would only be responsible for their part of the club.

The new regime already seems to be working; the success of the footballing side was mentioned at the meeting, and Mr Shaw told councillors bar takings had already increased in the last few months from £500 a week to £2,000 "so things are turning around".

He said he had requested to talk to the council because he wanted it to be involved in the club's future; he also said there were a number of rumours circulating in the port.

These started after it was revealed that a consultancy company – Sports Solutions GB – is investigating the feasibility of developing new, sustainable community sports facilities on the club's existing site at Gala Parc.

"They are not being paid. They only get paid as and when and if we get something moving," pointed out Mr Shaw.

"At the moment what they are offering is advice."

He had heard rumours that the club had been taken over by a consortium "and we will have a foreign manager...that is not going to happen!"

There were a number of options involving parts of the current club which were being investigated.

Mr Shaw said that changes could take some time but he wanted the town council to be involved in each step of the way.

Mr Wallis said: "That is refreshing to hear.

"With the new regime there is the possiblity of it going from strength to strength."

He felt the council should support the club and its future plans "in principle".

Members agreed, with chairman the Rev Harry Pugh adding: "I think it is important we support the football club because it is an important part of the village."